Hooked Up: Stay one step ahead of Old Man Winter

Friday

Dec 27, 2013 at 10:16 PMDec 27, 2013 at 10:16 PM

It looks like Old-Man Winter decided to show up in force this week. Heavy snow can cause all kinds of problems for the outdoorsman – from gear issues to pet peculiarities. Keeping one step ahead of the problem will typically save hours of frustration that could have been better spent on more enjoyable activities.

Jim Kilchermann Jr.jimkilchermann@yahoo.com

It looks like Old-Man Winter decided to show up in force this week. Heavy snow can cause all kinds of problems for the outdoorsman – from gear issues to pet peculiarities. Keeping one step ahead of the problem will typically save hours of frustration that could have been better spent on more enjoyable activities.

I am a firm believer in the many different ways to skin a rabbit, however, the goal is to get the fur off so here are a few of my favorite time savers and problem solvers for when the winter snows, winds and ice are upon us:

- I have never in my life met anyone who enjoys getting stuck. When the road conditions begin to turn slick and ice and packed snow cover the shoulders of even the cleanest roads, I throw a bag of kitty litter in the trunk of my car or behind the seat of my truck. This can be used to toss under the drive tires of a vehicle that is stuck on an icy patch and otherwise unable to move. This material is relatively inexpensive, will not hurt the environment and is easy to use. Just a few handfuls of this thrown under and ahead of the tires will often be all that is needed to get a bite and get the vehicle moving again.

- I also keep a few bottles of drinking water and a couple of candy bars in the vehicle. I have spent a night in a snow-bound vehicle and do not wish to repeat the experience without a drink and a little something to eat. This is also a good time of year to carry an old blanket in the vehicle. A car can get very cold, very quick in winter weather conditions. Of course, the old standbys such as a flashlight, gloves and even an extra pair of boots are all good take-along items in the winter time.

- Salt on the highways and roads can be a good thing for melting ice, however, it can also mess up a vehicle's trailer light plug in. Take a few minutes with a soft copper or wire brush to remove all of the corrosion from the plug in or socket of the vehicle to ensure a good contact when needed. Use a bit of dielectric grease in the plug to prevent the corrosion from returning. This can be picked up for a small price at most department and auto parts supply stores. This one tip can save hours of frustration and possibly even a ticket.

- This is also the time of year to make sure the wiper blades and washer fluid in your vehicle are in proper order. I carry a gallon of windshield washer fluid with me at all times. It is imperative to make sure the washer fluid is of the de-icing variety or it will freeze in the washer lines. Placing winter wiper blades on your vehicle will also prevent them in freezing up and leaving missed spots on the windshield that require a frequent driver's arm out the window to perform that snapping action!

- I frequently carry my dog with me in my truck and in doing so I let her out to do her thing every so often. The salt and ice melting chemicals used on parking lots and roadways can burn a pets soft foot pads. They can also harm your pets tongues and stomachs due to the animal attempting to lick it off of their burning feet. I wash my dogs feet off and towel them dry after having her out on the road for winter time walks. It is also wise for pet owners to use a non-harmful de-icing agent around the home to avoid accidentally injuring their animals feet. You should never place salt on any area used by your pet.

- Use a non-stick cooking spray to keep your ice auger's blades from rusting and becoming dull prematurely. A quick spray application on the blades before I place the protective cover on them keeps them in top-notch order. Do not use a product such as a silicone lubricating spray or penetrating oil as these will cause pollution when drilled into the ice and water your next trip out. The vegetable oil-based cooking spray will not harm the fish or the environment.

These are a few of winter-time tricks that have saved me much aggravation. I hope that one of them might help you out one day as well. Remember to check on your outside pets in this cold weather and keep plenty of fresh drinking water available for them. Animals require a little more protein and fat in their diets to help keep them warm when it drops into the single digits and they will often drink more water in the cold weather than in the heat of summer.

Remember to get outside with a friend or visit with a friend that is unable to get outside and remember, it's a great outdoors.

Jim Kilchermann is an avid outdoorsman who enjoys the winter season, to a point. Contact him at jimkilchermann@yahoo.com and share some of your winter pointers with him.